Melissa M. Wilson, age 59 of Clare, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 4, 2023 at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, surrounded by her family. On January 5, 1964, Melissa was born one of two daughters to Kenneth and Mary (Davis) Levering in Addison, MI—where she lived until moving to Farwell with her family in 1981. In 1982, Melissa graduated from Farwell High School and began her working career shortly after. Melissa was united in marriage to Allen Wilson, Jr. on November 21, 1998 in Clare. Melissa’s working years were all spent in customer service—having served for the Social Security Office, Aflac, and most recently Dagwoods Automotive—which is no surprise given her passion for people. On multiple occasions, Melissa served as Clare’s Pettit-Kapplinger VFW Post 5738 Women’s Auxiliary President, and also enjoyed tending bar at the post. Melissa also loved animals of all varieties, crocheting gifts of all types for her family members, reading spy and mystery novels, and she especially lived loved making “witch potions” with her grandchildren. She loved to cook as well as canning.
Melissa is survived by her husband Allen Wilson, Jr. of Clare, her children Jerry (Stephanie Fisette) Donley of Vassar, MI. and Stefhanie (Dustin) Barlow of Harrison, her mother Mary Burandt of Clare, and her sister Cheryl (Martin) Embrey of Farwell. Other survivors include her grandchildren Bentlee, Emma, Naomi, Annabelle, and Alexis, her brothers-in-law Robert and Mike (Melissa) Wilson, her nieces and nephews Eric (Kacee) Embrey, Nolan Wilson, Kora Wilson, Jesse Crane, Danielle Wilson, and Christopher Wilson, and her great-nephew Marshall Embrey. Melissa is preceded in death by her father Kenneth Levering and her in-laws Allen and Shirley Wilson, Sr.
A funeral service in honor of Melissa will take place on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. at the Clare Chapel of the Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home. Friends may visit the Wilson family at the funeral home on Friday, August 11 from 5:00 P.M to 8:00 P.M. Memorial contributions in honor of Melissa may be directed to the Wounded Warrior Project. For those unable to attend services, online condolences may be shared on Melissa’s tribute page at www.stephenson-wyman.com